string selection

makepeace

Heeouzit.

I'm looking for a nice set of strings for my archtop.

I did some refurbishing a while back, including replacing the bridge with a rosewood job from stewmac. The first set of strings that I put on it were Ernies, think they were the lemon yellow nickel wound ones. The intonation on the G string was very very off. I subsequently realized that I needed a set of strings with a wound G for the new bridge. I then bought a set of 11 gauge Thomastik Jazz Swings. I'd never used flatwounds before so I thought I'd try them out as I needed to verify the wound G intonation story. They're very professionally done, great strings. I really like the red silk on the ends, cool touch :-[. As for the flatwound part, I can see their benefit, but its not a sound I'm keen on at the moment. I'd recommend them for a jazz-y fusion vibe guitar if you haven't checked them out (squonk) ?

Those strings are still on my guitar, but I have a problem with the sound. The archtop has a dark, wheezy, cello-y sort of sound, and I don't know if its just me, but these strings seem to accentuate the darkness a lot. It sounds sort of dull and muffled when compared with the Ernies I had on before.

So, I'm looking for a set of bright-ish strings that I can use to even out the darkness of the guitar, with a wound G for correct intonation. The guitar has a P90 at the neck, so a set that sounds good with a single coil would be a plus.

Suggestions would be great. Preferably looking for something I can get locally, but I don't mind shopping abroad (stringsandbeyond/stringsdirect etc)

Thanks ?

makepeace

anyone? ?

i've ordered a set of d'addario pro-steels in the meantime.. will see how they go

Ray

OK lemme tell you what I did. I put some D'Addario half rounds (EHR350) on my Ibanez hollowbody. Dunno if you call the thing an archtop I dont think so but anyway did this to cut down on the djweeb djweeb stuff and feedback which someone told me it would. Anyway, it worked great for the first and I think for the second as well but hell!, I had such issues tuning the guitar. I couldna work out what the heck was goin on. And then I posted here and Alan said it is an issue with the half rounds or flat wounds even before I could tell him that's what was on the guitar. Said I must tune with harmonics. Did that a while but got bored and tired and so none wanted to buy the guitar and I sort of dismantled it a few times to take a looksee and now I aim to put some other pickups in just for the jol. But that's got nothin to do with your strings question but the first bit mught say something. Anyway, have a good time.

AlanRatcliffe

Flatwounds are your trad jazz tone - warm tone and smooth attack, a strong fundamental pitch with few overtones. Not everyone's cup o tea though (as you've discovered). One nice thing is the wound strings last for ages (basically until they break).

Half wounds (AKA groundwounds) are great for an almost roundwound tone, but a little darker and with a lot less finger squeak (I used to use them on fretless for that reason). The tuning thing isn't a huge issue (you get the same thing with flats) - it's just some tuners like a brighter sound to tune with.

But if you like the roundwound sound (bright with lots of overtones), simply use roundwound sets with wound thirds.

Heath

i used to use the exl110w , which had a wound g on my cort and imo they were quiet bright . So you might wanna give them a try

Wizard

I know I'm lazy and should be looking this up elsewhere ... but what does flatwound & roundwound mean?

Bob-Dubery

Wizard wrote: I know I'm lazy and should be looking this up elsewhere ... but what does flatwound & roundwound mean?

Regular electric guitar strings are round wound. The wrapping that goes around the core is strands of round wire. With flatwound strings the wrapping is more like a tape. Flatwound strings sound more mellow and feel smoother to the touch.

There is a compromise solution which may be of interest here. IIRC they are called "flat ground" or "ground wound". It starts life as a regular round wound string, then the outside of the string is ground down so that it's flatter and smoother to the touch.

Dwerg

@ X-rated Bob

follow up question. which - in you opinion - is better for slide guitar? (on electric)

I have blues in mind, kinda like a Seasick Steve thing, but with all 6 strings :?

Ray

Wizard wrote: I know I'm lazy and should be looking this up elsewhere ... but what does flatwound & roundwound mean?

Some makers (d'addario has some) wind the round stuff on the core and then grind it half flat.

makepeace

thanks for the replies. gonna see how those pro-steel roundwounds go and take it from there..

@dwerg

just thinking aloud here, and would be great to hear what someone more experienced than i has to say.

i would think that roundwounds would work the best for slide because when you slide, its a combination of plucking the strings and friction you're relying on to get the strings to vibrate. flatwounds/groundwounds would obviously have less friction. when you hold the slide still however, and just play the notes (effectively using the slide as a fulcrum) roundwounds/flatwounds won't make any difference (not taking into account the specific string's tonal characteristics). i suppose it depends if you want the extra sounds that are made by slide friction, similar to if you want or don't want finger squeek sounds ?

Dwerg

Thanks for the input, all makes good sense.

This site is awesome for discussion and Q&A on anything ?

+1 makepeace and +1 X-rated Bob, thanks guys